State of the Schools: Boone County

BELVIDERE (WIFR) -- Two school districts in Boone County are showing some growth, more students are graduating and fewer kids are dropping out.

This is all part of the state of the schools address presented to the Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce. Superintendent of the Belvidere school district, Michael Houselog, and Dr. Steven Baule, superintendent of the North Boone school district, filled in Belvidere area leaders about what's happening in each of their school districts.

In Belvidere, the graduation rate has been climbing over the last ten years, to more than 80 percent. Special education grad rates have seen a large increase over the last four years, jumping from 57 percent to more than 74 percent.

Chronic truancy is also down to 1.3 percent. However ACT scores remain about the same over the last ten years, at 20.

In North Boone, the graduation rate has increased to nearly 93 percent. The drop out rate has decreased to 0.4%. Failure rates however, increased to four percent for the first semester and remained at four percent for the second semester.

ACT scores slightly down in North Boone. Dr. Baule believes that could be because special education scores are now factored in, which could bring down overall scores.

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